Logic gap happens when you (the writer) are so close to the subject matter (what you’re writing) that your brain automatically fills in words or ideas that aren’t there. Logic gap smooths out the message. It makes one idea perfectly transition into another. Through your eyes, anyway.
In real life, logic gap can leave your reader or listener perplexed or pull them out of the message. Making them scratch their head or miss the point of what you wrote.
How do you combat it?
The usual solution is to read what you wrote to another person in order to get their outsider’s perspective. But there’s a danger even in this. Some logic gap is so bad that, without realizing it, you can add words as you read.
To quickly catch logic gap, have a second person read back to you what you wrote.
This works wonders because your test reader doesn’t have all your ideas and predilections swirling around in their head. They also don’t have the inflection or cadence you’ve been imagining for your words. All they’ve got is what’s on the page.
Happy logic gap hunting.
– Zac Smith, VC
